« Une âme pourvue de fenêtres » : les transgressions du format dans le Théâtre de la Mémoire de Giulio Camillo

Abstract

A radical disruption of the norms of the space of theatrical representation lies at the heart of Giulio Camillo’s Memory Theater. This apparatus features a twofold objective: while it is aimed at encompassing and representing a knowledge of universal reach, it must also allow for the memorization of this knowledge. As a consequence, the original modes of visualization, understanding and imagination which emerge provide a new gateway to knowledge. This paper seeks to address both the productive force that inheres in the altered format of the Theater and the implications of this alteration. This system can be seen to function as an instrument of knowledge where the interplay between particulars and universals is reworked, thus foregrounding a change in the conventions of representation. In its role as a physical vehicle for mental operations, the Theater prompts a reconstruction of reality as well as a modification of natural thought processes. The alteration of the format establishes a space of normative visibility where sight, knowledge and power interact and where a new relation to the world begins to appear.

Keywords

• representation
• memory
• perception
• format
• classification
• knowledge